Cash-register.



No. 700,479. Patented May 20, I902.

T. CARROLL.

CASH REGISTER.

(Application filed Sept. 8, 1900.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet I.

lE- l No. 700,479. Patented May 20, I902.

T. CARROLL.

CASH REGISTER.

(Application filed 501A. 8, 1900.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-'Sheet 2,

mz: mums PETERS co. mmoumo. wAsmnaroN. n. c.

N0. 700,479. Patented May 20, I902.

. T. CARROLL.

CASH REGISTER.

\ (Application flled Sept. 8, 1900.)

(No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 3.

QXMMOM No. 700,479. Patented May 20, I902.

T. CARROLL.

CASH REGISTER.

(Application filed Sept. 8, 1900.)

4 Sheets-$heet 4.

(No Model.)

mu norms PETERS co, vncrouwmwrxsnmsmu. u, c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS CARROLL, OF DAYTON, OI-IIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL CASH REGISTER COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NElV JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CASH-REGISTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 700,479, dated May 20, 1902.

Application filed September 8,1900. Serial No. 29,414. (No model.)

To all whmn it ntay concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS CARROLL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county ofMontgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cash-Registers, of which I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in I0 cash-registers. As illustrated in the drawings, my invention is shown as applied to a cash-register of the type patented to Thomas Carney on May 23, 1893, numbered 497,860.

One object of myinvention is to provide a cash-register with means whereby the keylevers are normally locked against operation. This is sometimes an important matter, because where the machines are placed in exposed positions in stores, 850., it frequently 2o happens that children and careless persons either intentionally or accidentally operate the keys, and thus make a false record. It has frequently happened that a clerk or customer has inadvertently rested his hand or elbow upon the unlocked keys, partly depressing them, and thereby making a false registration.

A further object of my invention is to lighten the work required to be done by the amount or value keys. In the Carney patent mentioned the counter is automatically thrown in and out upon the operation of the said amount or value keys, and this can well be done under proper circumstances; but sometimes by the addition of printing mechanisms, dte, the amount or value keys are required to do so much that they operate with difficulty.

My present invention, as stated, entirely 4o relieves the amount or value keys from the work of throwing the counter into and out of engagement with the operating-racks.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a vertical section through a machine of the type mentioned with my improvements applied thereto, the cash-drawer being omitted. Fig. 2 represents an enlarged detail perspective view of my improved counter-throwing devices detached from the machine. Fig. 3

represents an enlarged detail side elevation, partly in section, of the connecting devices between the keys and the rotation-shaft. Fig. 4 represents an enlarged detail end elevation of the counter and its locking device. Fig. 5 represents a view similar to Fig. 2 with the parts in the positions they assume when the key 32 is pressed inward, and Fig. 6 represents a detail top plan view of the counter and the operating-rack segments.

In the aforesaid drawings, irepresents the main frame; 5, the amount-keys; 6, the keycoupler; 7, the registering-frames; 8, the operating-racks, and 9 the counter.

The construction and operation of the keys, key-coupler, registering-frames, and registering-racks are old and Well known in the art and are substantially similar to the construe tion and operations described in the aforesaid patent, to which reference is made for a detail description of said parts. The keys are arranged, as usual, in banks or series, the keys of each series being provided with vertical graduated standards 10, which cooperate with their respective registering-frames '7 to move the same greater or less distances, according to the values of the keys operated, and thus actuate the segmental racks 8 correspondingly.

Thekey-coupler(Bandits connection and 00- 8o operation with the keys and the rotation-shaft are also substantially-as shown and described in the said patent, and comprise a stud 11, mounted on the right-hand end of the coupler and projcctinginto ahorizontal slot- 12,formed in a vertically-reciprocating rack-bar 13. (See Fig. 3.) This bar is guided at its lower end by a pin 14, mounted on the main frame and projecting into a vertical slot 15, formed in the rack-bar. The upper part of the rack- 0 bar is formed with an aperture 16, having rack-teeth 17 upon its. opposite side walls. These rack-teeth are arranged to be alternately brought into mesh with a pinion 18, fast to the rotation-shaft 19. The rack-plate is rocked laterally to effect this alternate meshing of the racks 1'7 with the pinion 18 by spring-pressed studs 20 and 21, mounted in said rack-bar and engaging inclined stationary flanges 2O and 21, mounted. upon me the main frame. The rack-bar after being shifted laterally is held to its work while moving in either direction by a stud 22, mounted thereon and arranged to operate on either one or the other side of a vertical stationary flange 22, fast to the main frame, in the usual manner.

The counter 9 may be of any suitable construetion, but is preferably of the construction and operation of the counter shown and described in the patent to F. Barnard, No. 570,196, issued October 27, 1396. The counter includes a series of counter-wheels, such as 23, arranged side by side and provided with pinions 24, which are arranged to be brought into mesh with the respective racks 8 to receive movement therefrom. The said counter-wheels are journaled on a shaft 50, which is mounted in a rock-frame 25, journaled upon a shaft 26, so that the frame may be rocked forward to engage the pinions with the racks. The transfer devices and the higher counter-wheels, which do not receive movement from the racks 8, are substantially as shown and described in the said Barnard patent, and reference is therefore made to the same for a detail description of these parts. The rocking of the counter-frame is ac- .complished in the present invention through the medium of a pin 27, projecting therefrom and into a cam-s1ot28, formed in the enlarged end of an operating-lever 29. The lever 29 is fast to a transverse rock-shaft 30, which is suitablyjournaled in the main frame. This shaft, as better shown in Fig. 2, is provided near one end with an operating-lever 31, which is pivotally connected at its lower end to a push-key 32, which projects through the front of the casing, as shown in Fig. 1. Each end'of the aforesaid cam-slot 28 is formed concentric with the shaft 30, so that the initial and final movements of the lever 29 will have no effect upon the pin 27, and thus will not move the counter-frame. The said lever 29 carries a pin 33, which cooperates with a stop-lever 34: and alock-lever35, both of which are pivoted upon the shaft 26. The lever 3% is formed at its upper forward end with a projecting stop-shoulder 36 and is arranged to cooperate at its rear lower end with a pin 37, projecting laterally from a cam 38, fast to the rotation-shaft 19. This cam on its opposite sides carries a lug 39, which is arranged to cooperate with a nose 40, formed on the lever 35, to lock the rotation-shaft against movement. It therefore follows that in order to release the machine and allow the operation of the amount-keys the nose 40 must be moved out of the path of the lug 39, and to effect this result the lever 35 must be rocked on its fulcrum 26. This rocking movement is effected by a coiled spring 41, which connects the for ward part of said lever 35 to the main frame. The lever, however, is normally held in its locking position (shown in Fig. 1) by the pin \Vhen the lever 29 is elevated sufficiently to throw in the counter, the pin 33 passes pin above the upper end of the locking-lever 35, and the latter is thus left free to be drawn forward by its spring. This movement of the lever causes it to pass under the pin 33, and thus lock the lever 29 in its uppermost position and the counter-pinions in engagement with the racks 8.

The locking-lever 35 is further provided with an antifriction-roller 43, which is pivoted to the rear end of said lever and upon the left-hand side thereof, so that it lies in the same plane as the rotation-cam 38. So long as the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2, in which the locking-leverisin its locking position, and thereby preventing operation of the machine, the pin 33 holds the antifriction-roller from contact with the rotationcam. \Vhen the push-key is operated, however, the operation of the spring i1 raises the rear end of the locking-lever until the antifriction-roller on the rear end of the locking lever engages the periphery of the rotationeam. In addition to its other functions,therefore, the cam serves as a stop for the move ment of the locking-lever lVhen the push-button has been pressed in,

as already described, the pin rises, whereupon the forward end of the locking-lever springs in and retains it in its elevated position, thereby holding the push-button in its operated position. Upon the subsequent operation of one of the key-levers 5 the rotationcam is turned, and the high part thereof finally striking the antifrietion roller 43 forces the latter back to normal position and from under the pin 33, whereupon the coiled spring at immediately returns the push-key and its cooperating parts to normal position, the pin again falling in front of the locking-lever 35, and thereby preventing the operation of an amount or value key until after the special key has been operated. \Vhen the lever 29 is elevated, the pin 33 passes above the shoulder 36, so that when the machineis subsequently operated and the lever 3% released said lever will be drawn forward by a coil-spring 45, which connects it to the main frame,until itcontaets with said 33. The lever 29 remains in its elevated position until released by the lever 35, as above described, when it descends and permits the lever 3a to be drawn forward to cause the shoulder 36 to pass over the pin 33. This movement prevents the lever 29 being again elevated and the counter again thrown in until the machine has made a complete movement and the pin 37 has forced the rear end of the lever Ell downward to move the shoulder 36 out of the path of the pin 33. This stop-lever 3-l thus prevents any manipulation of the machine, such as throwing the counter-pinions into mesh with the racks two or more times uring a single operation of the machine.

It will be observed from the foregoing description that the machine is locked against operation until the key has been fully operated to throw the counterand thatsaidkey must be operated before each operation of the amount-keys as the parts automatically return to locking position upon each operation of the machine. If the key 32 were held in its inner position, the parts would not assume their normal positions, but would become looked, as the return movements of the rack-segments would be prevented by the counter being held in mesh therewith. Before an operation of the machine can be completed the key 32 must be allowed to assume its normal position.

In machines of this class it is very desirable that the counter-frame be locked in its retracted position during the time that the counter-wheels are being turned to zero, and to accomplish this result I provide the devices shown in Fig. 4. The turn-to-zero shaft 50, upon which the counter-wh eels are mounted, is provided at one end with a disk 51, having a cam-notch 52 formed therein. An arm 53, formed on a frame 54, which is pivoted on the counter-frame, carries an anti friction-roller 53, which normally projects into said notch, but is forced upward to rock the frame when the disk is rotated. The construction, operation, and purpose of the frame 54 are substantially the same as described in the said patent to Barnard. Further, the

frame 54: carries a rigid rearwardly-projecting arm 55, which normally engages a lug 56, formed on the key-coupling locking-lever 57. This lever is pivoted vertically upon the main frame, and when rocked by the arm 55 its lower end is brought into the path of the key-coupler 6 to prevent the operation of the machine. The final movement of the arm 55 brings its end in front of the lug 56, and thus locks the counter-frame against forward movement until thecountcr-wheels have been completely turned to zero and the arm 55 allowed to return to normal position. Sim ultaneously it swings the lower end of the lever 57 forward and just over the solid portion of the key-coupler, whereby any operation of the key-levers 5 is prevented during the operation of turning the counter to zero.

Having thus described myinvcntion, what Iclaitn as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-' 1. In a cash-register, the combination with a series of amount or value keys, of racks operated by said keys, a counter mounted on a movable frame and normally disengaged from said racks, a special key and connections for positively throwing the counter into operative engagement with the racks and means for compelling the operation of the special key before the operation of the amount or value keys.

2. In a cash-register, the combination with a counter mounted in a movable frame, of a series of value-keys and connections for operating said counter, means for throwing the counter out of operative engagement with said connections upon each operation of the machine, and a special key which must be operated before each operation of the machine to positively move the counter into operative engagement.

3. In a cash-register, the combination with a counter mounted in a movable frame, of a series of keys and connections for operating said counter, means for throwing the counter out of operative position upon each operation of the machine, a special key arranged when operated to positively move the coun ter into operative relation with the key connections, and a lock for the key connections operated by said key.

4.. In a cash-register, the combination with a series of operating-keys, of a series of racks operated by the same, a counter mounted on a movable frame and arranged to be moved into connection with said racks, a special key, and a slotted lever operated by saidkey and engaging a projection of the counter-frame.

5. In a cash-register, the combination with a series of operating-keys, of a series of racks operated thereby, a counter mounted on a movable frame and arranged to be moved into connection with said racks, a pin on said coun ter-frame, a lever having a cam slot into which said pin projects, and a special. key for operatingsaid lever to throw in the counter.

6. In a cash-register, the combination with a'series of operating-keys and connections, of a series of racks operated by the same, a counter mounted on a movable frame and arranged to be moved into connection with said racks, a cam-slotted lever arranged to engage said frame for throwing in the counter, a key for operating said lever and a latch for said lever controlled by the key connections.

7. In a cash-register, the combination with a series of operating-keys, of a series of racks operated by the same, a counter mounted on a movable frame, a rotation-shaft, connec: tions between the keys and shaft, a special key for positively throwing the counter into engagement with/the racks, and alatch for the rotation-shaft arranged to be operated by the special key to unlock the operatingkeys.

8. In a cash-register, the combination with a series of operating-keys, of a series of racks operated by the same, a counter mounted on a movable frame and arranged to be moved into connection with the racks, a lever for throwing said frame, a key for operating said lever, a latch for holding said lever in its operated position and a lock for said lever.

9. In a cash-register, the combination with a series of amount or value keys and connections, of a series of racks operated thereby, a counter mounted on a movable frame and arranged to be thrown into connection with said racks, a lever for throwing said counter, a key for operating said lever, a pin mounted on said lever, a locking-lever cooperating with said pin to release the key connections and to act as a detent for the throwing-lever.

10. In a cash-register, the combination with an operating mechanism, of a counter ar- ICO ranged to be thrown into connection therewith, a cam-slotted lever arranged to throw said counter, a key for operating said lever and means for preventing two operations of the lever during a single operation of the operating mechanism.

11. In a cash-registergthe combination with an operating mechanism, of a counter, a rotation-shaft independent of the counter and carrying a cam, a lever for throwing the counter into engagement with the operating mechanism, and a lock for said lever arranged to be operated by said cam.

12. In a cash-register, the combination with an operating mechanism, of a counter, a lever for throwing the counter into engagement with the operating mechanism, a stop-lever for preventing the operation of said throwlug-lever, a lock-lever arranged to act as a detent for the throwing-lever, and devices for operating said levers.

13. In acash-register, the combination with a series of keys, of a series of racks operated thereby, a counter mounted in a movable frame and arranged to be brought into engagement with said racks, a pin on the counter-frame, a pivoted lever having a cam-slot into which said pin projects, and a key for operating said lever.

14. In a cash register, the combination with a series of keys, of a series of racks operated thereby, a counter mounted on a movable frame and arranged to be moved into connection with said racks, a pin mounted on the counter, a throwing-lever having a cam-slot into which said pin projects, a pin mounted on said throwing-lever and two spring-drawn levers cooperating with said pin, one for locking the pin in its elevated position and the other for preventing its elevation.

15. In a cash-register, the combination with an operating mechanism, of a counter arranged to be moved into connection therewith, a pivoted lever for throwing said counter, and a latch-lever arranged to engage and alternately lock the throwing-lever and the operating mechanism.

10. In a cash-register, the combination with a series of operating-keys, of a series of racks operated thereby, a counter mounted on a movable frame and arranged to be moved into connection with the racks, a pivoted lever for throwing said frame, a lock-lever for temporarily holding said pivoted lever-against operation and a lock-lever for holding said pivoted lever in its normal position when operated.

17. In acashregister, the combination with a counter, of a series of operating-keys and connections for operating said counter, a special key and cam-lever for throwing in the counter upon the operation of the key, and a detent means for holding the cam-lever in its operated position arranged to be operated by a movable part of the machine.

18. In a cash-register, the combination with a series of amount or value operating keys, of counter-operating devices cooperating therewith, a counter arranged to be thrown into connection with said devices,aspecialkeyand connections for so throwing said counter when said special key is operated, and a latch for preventing operation of the value-keys until said special key and connections are fully operated.

19. In a cash-register, the combination with a counter pivoted with a projecting lug, of a series of value-operating keys, and connections for operating the counter, a special key, and a lever connected to said key and having a cam-slot to receive the counter-lug for positively throwing the counter into operative position.

20. In a cash-register, the combination with a counter, of a series of operating-keys and connections for operating the counter when said keys are operated, spring operated means for throwing the counter out of operative position upon each operation of the machine, and a special key which must be operated before each operation of the operating-keys to bring the counter into operative position.

21. In a cash-register, the combination with a counter mounted in a movable frame, of a series of keys and connections for operating said counter, a special key for positively throwing the counter into operative position, means for turning the counter to zero and devices arranged to be operated by said means for locking the counter in its inoperative position.

22. In a cash-register, the combination with a series of amount or value keys, of operating devices controlled by the keys, a counter arranged to be brought into engagement with said operating devices, devices for normally locking the amount or value keys, and a special key arranged to bring the counter and operating devices into operative engagement and to unlock the amount-keys.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS CARROLL. W'itnesses:

JOHN C. LOCKYER, CHAS. E. Cnuson. 

